Second Life

            After this week’s theme relating to Second Life, it really got me thinking about this game.  Initially, I just thought it was one of those virtual worlds where people would go to create avatars and just roam around and maybe playing games or something to own points.  From a different perspective, I also thought it could be a place where friends would all make avatars and communicate with each other in this online world.  At least from what I read from the article, “Sex Lives in Second Life,” man was I wrong.

            I never really believed that online games that consisted of avatars also had sex lives.  I knew it was going on, but not on, what seems like, a fairly popular “game.”  It is just so bizarre to me that people would build like lingerie stores and photo places where female avatars can take pictures, mostly nude.  Another part that was very bizarre to me was the fact that once you engage in any type of sexual activity; you can’t leave until it was over.  A common topic relating to these issues and happenings in Second Life was rape.  On the discussion board for class, the majority of people who wrote about Second Life wrote about rape.  The main concern was that if rape is illegal in the real world, what makes it legal in the virtual world.  I just find it very disturbing that some people want to rape other avatars, and get away with it.  For some people it could be very scary for your avatar to be sexually harassed.

            This leads to my next concern of identity.  I’m pretty sure that you do not have to have an avatar with the same sex as yourself.  With this indication how many of the really slutty female avatars do you really think are females?  Probably not a lot.  In class, some survey revealed that the age range for Second Life players were fairly old when compared to the age range for people who play Facebook games.  With this in mind, do you really think Second Life is full of old characters?  Probably not because that would make it less fun.  So in other words, is Second Life full of perverted old dudes?  I guess we would really never know. 

            Due to my limited exposure to this game, my generalizations may be false.  However, from what I've read and heard about in class, this is what I got out of what this game is all about, and it doesn’t really interest me.  So I don’t think I will be partaking into this game anytime soon.

Fall of the Library

            When was the last time you walked into a library to borrow a book?  Probably hasn’t been too recent.  It seems as if more and more things that are originally hardcopy and physical, are turning into digital and electronic.  The things that are going the fastest are books, newspapers, journals, and magazines.   Most to all of these can now be accessed online, and for free!

            First, let’s focus on books for school.  Textbooks haven’t quite made the complete switch to digital yet.  However, it is definitely getting there.  Textbooks have always been a hassle.  From being too heavy and damaging students back, to being way too expensive and being outdated way too fast.  Imagine only a few years from, books that are basically weightless, with costs half as what they used to be due to the lessened materials used to produce them, and a way to have them electronically updates whenever a new version comes out.  For students and teachers, this would be wonderful, and I believe it is definitely in reach. 

            Then, you can think about books you read for fun.  For those of you who like to read, it must be a hassle carrying around that book all the time, and worrying about it getting damaged.  Furthermore, if you want to read more than one at a certain sitting, there’s just going to be more to carry.  Recently, the Kindle revolution has started.  Now, you can purchase your books online and they are instantly transferred to you Kindle device.  There you can read one to many books, and take it everywhere with you; completely portable and convenient.  Now, this kind of application can be downloaded for any type of device from phones to iPods and iPads.

            Continuing on that idea, applications have been built for multiple print sources such as magazines and newspapers.  Just like the books, reading them through your electronic device is so much easier, convenient and portable.  With these new technologies emerging, who will ever want to go back to having these products in print; bulky, and eventually turning into waste?  In a way, technology could be saving our environment.

            And lastly, journals, not something you need on an everyday basis, but for students, very important when doing research papers.  These have been electronic for a while, and what a relief that they are.  There are so many types of different journals and so many editions and volumes of them as well.  The main advantage to having them online is because you can easily sort through them and search for exactly what you need.  What a hassle it would be if you have to go through hundreds of journal articles just to find some simple answer.

            My point is, most print sources are turning electronic.  With this happening, what is going to happen to our libraries?  Will they have to change their function?  In that case, wouldn’t it just be considered some sort of Internet café?  It’s hard to believe that something that we all grew up knowing may encounter a huge change.  Libraries will no longer be known as that building with all the books and resources, but instead that site where I can search for books and resources.


UPDATE(3/15): I was reading some of the news today and came across this article
http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/nyt/20110315_Publishers_and_libraries_struggle_over_terms_of_e-books.html

Technology, Social Interaction, and Relationships

Recently, social interaction has been highly influenced by technology in a way that technology has been starting to replace the old ways of interaction.  On the whole, I personally believe that this spread of technology has a negative effect on face-to-face interaction.  In the olden days, the only way to communicate with someone is to physically go and talk to him or her.  Then, along the way came letters and telephones.  However, in those days, physical communication was always the highest priority.  Now, almost all three of those means of communication have disappeared.  Letters can be an exception because typing is almost like writing.  Anyways, currently, we live by text messages, instant messages, and social networks.  Because of this, there is hardly even time for face-to-face interaction.  I feel that due to this circumstance, as a society, we are going to become more and more less sociable and more socially awkward in the sense that when put in a situation consisting of little to no technology, we wouldn’t know what to do.  What interests me the most is what the future holds.  Nowadays, kids in elementary school have already discovered texting. In a few years, how developed will their social skills be if in their developmental stage, they were glued to their cellular phones?
Online relationships are a completely different story.  I feel that to some, it can actually be beneficial.  Obviously, if someone is searching for a companion online, there must be something holding them back from doing in the real world whether is be a physical or mental disability.  By engaging in these types of activities online, it takes away the initial nervousness.  Online profiles of the person can show exactly what they want people to see instead of just what sticks out.  Of course, people with disabilities will list them and people with physical insecurities will post a picture, but it won’t go out to the world, but instead only to those who will accept it.  In this kind of scenario I feel that online relationships can be very beneficial.  However, for those who are more than capable to find a companion in the real world, but instead run to the Internet, I don’t think that it is that beneficial to them.  It takes away a lot of the characteristics that make a relationship special.  Also, it just takes for granted the relationships that have already been made by relying on websites to find someone “compatible.”
As a society, we need to make sure our world doesn’t evolve into a virtual world.  We need the real world for we are real people and we need real relationships with those around us.  Although technology can be very useful, it should only be side dish in our relationships instead of being the full meal.

Long Distance Relationships and the Internet

Technology has definitely come a long way since letter-writing days.  When I think of an olden day long distance relationship, I immediately picture the man in the army and the woman at home writing letters and patiently waiting for a reply.  I’m almost certain that this type of relationship has gone extinct.  Since then, there has been the phenomenon called the Internet and through that, a wide range of ways to keep in contact with the one you love.

Long distance relationships in general are more common these days due to various job opportunities and college in general.  Even though they may not exactly last very long, they do still exist.  Currently, I’m in a long distance relationship and I can admit that it would not be happening if it weren’t for the modern day technologies such as email, smart phones, and iChat.

Going down the list, let’s start with email.  Email is like child of the letter, much more advanced and way faster.  Email is something that is used by almost everyone.  Like the letter it can be accessed anywhere.  Unlike the letter, it is basically free.  My boyfriend lives in Japan, and most of the time, the time difference does not work out in our favor.  In this case we use email to contact one another knowing that sooner or later the other will read it and respond.  Something like this reminds me highly of one of the benefits of online social support groups.  The benefit of the OSSGs was that by writing you are able to work on your own time, carefully examine what you have to say before you send it, and also use the writing for therapy uses.  In one sense this is a great way to monitor yourself in the meaning that you don’t have to worry about slipping something you weren’t supposed to mention.  This is also really good when we get into an argument.  By using email, I am able to reevaluate the issue and myself and how I am handling it.  On the whole, email works out for the advantage, except that it still is something you have to wait for, and may not be as personal as a letter might have been 50 years ago.

Next topic--smart phones.  My blackberry literally saves me.  I am connected to the Internet 24/7 which means I can access my emails at any time, and also am on Google chat all the time.  I feel that smart phones in general are a big help to everyday activities.  This is probably why most people have them, and that normal phones are no longer in existence.  

And lastly, there is iChat.  Besides the Internet as a whole, I feel that iChat keeps my relationship together.  Living so far away from each other and knowing visits are scarce, it is nice to be able to have a “face to face” conversation once in a while.  I feel that through iChat you kind of hold onto the relationship of being able to talk face to face and makes it less awkward when you actually are together.  Without iChat, long distance relationships would rely on strictly text.  With only text, you lose a lot of emotion.  At least when you can see the other person, you are able to pick up how they are feeling and can see reactions, where letters exclude both of these.  Even now, iChat is kinda on the old side due to the new face time.  I personally do not have this feature, but I'm sure, for those who want to keep in touch, it is something very useful to have.

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, and my boyfriend halfway around the world, let’s just say I’m not unhappy.  Today isn’t 20 years ago and the Internet has once again succeeded in my books.

Social Networking Sites

Recently, social networking has definitely been on the rise.  I’ve never seen so many groups, businesses, and people so involved in one type of media.  On one hand it is a great thing.  Social networking sites, like Facebook and Twitter, are places where all these different things can come together, interact, promote, and advertise.  On the other hand, there are many risks involved by putting yourself out there on the Internet, like privacy issues.  A question that constantly runs through my mind whenever discussing this topic is, “When is it ever going to be enough?”

            What I mean when addressing this question is at what point will a site be satisfying enough.  Constantly there are updates and changes being made with or without the consumer’s approval that are supposed to make the site “better,” but are they?  A lot of these changes have to deal with what information can be passed around and just trying to see how much they can get out of their users.  I remember way back when the most popular networking site was Xanga, a simple blog where you could just write whatever you wanted and see anyone’s information.  Yes, there were major privacy issues.  However, at least for me, this was only the beginning of the whole “watch what you put online” crisis.  Next came Myspace, a much bigger privacy issue.  Unlike Xanga, Myspace asked for a lot more personal information.  And now, Facebook, one of the highest used social networking sites, asks for a lot more specific information.   At what point will these sites stop asking for more information?

            On the whole, I feel that there will be a negative trend in accordance to the privacy issue of these social networking sites.  How are we able to know for sure that some of the things we don’t want to be shared aren’t being shared?  It’s very scary to know that once something goes online, it never goes away.

            As for my usage of social networking sites, I can say that I do have access all of the time.  Now with smartphones, there isn’t much you can’t do while not on the computer.  Even though I just ranted about all the information sucked out of us through these sites, I do spend a lot of my time on sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr.  However, I am very careful about what information I post and who is allowed to see it.  Most of the time, I use these sites just to see what everyone else is up to; creepy I know, but really everyone does it.  Occasionally I will update my status, but for the most part I don’t like people knowing exactly what I’m doing all of the time.  My main usage of these sites is to keep in touch with old friends or basically killing time.  A definite positive part about social networking sites is that it allows the lazy people to keep in contact with other people and the world.  With only a few clicks, you can see what your friends, old classmates, and family are up to, along with what’s trending in the world and popular news topics.  

Media Diet

Sunday	Monday
Math book-1hr	Cell phone-30 min
Computer-6hrs	Alarm
Ichat	Check email
Check homework assignments	Skype
Online homework reading	Phone call
Check email	Presentation-3hrs
Online shopping	Powerpoint in class
Social networks	Technology book-1hr
TV-2hrs	Computer-7hrs
Movie: Just Married	Word processor
	Check online homework
	Online homework reading
	Check email
	Social networks
	Ichat
Tuesday	Wednesday
Cell phone-10 min	Cell phone-30 min
Alarm	Alarm
Check email	Check email
Math book-1.5hrs	Skype
Computer-7hrs	Text
Check online homework	Presentation-3hrs
Online homework reading	Powerpoint in class
Check email	Computer-5hrs
Social networks	Terminal
Ichat	Social networks
Terminal	Check online homework
	Online homework reading
	Check email
	Ichat
Thursday
Cell phone-10 min
Alarm
Check email
Hispanic Theology book-1hr
Math book-2hrs
Video-2hrs
In class
Computer-5hrs
Blogger
Social networks
Check online homework
Online homework reading
Check email
Ichat
TV-1hr
Two and a half men

Analysis:

When looking at my media diet, on the whole it says about me that I use a lot of it and most likely am very dependent on it.  I am mostly on the internet for school, but its very distracting.  I can be on one site, and then see some link to another one or think of something I was supposed to look at and voila, distraction at its best.  One thing not noted is that I am actually on my phone all day, so I'm always connected: emails, chat, calls, text, and social networks. Another thing that is not noted is that I am not usually using only one media at a time, mostly mutitasking so the times shown may be misleading.  I do basically the same thing everyday with media: homework and browse internet when bored or distracted.

I feel that people my age do exactly the same thing more or less.  Everyone is always on their phones or on the internet. You hardly come across people who don’t use their laptops or don’t watch tv or don’t have phones with a million capabilities. This shows us that the American society as a whole is getting lazy. We use one thing to do billions. This also goes for interacting with people.  The media of today is very convenient and keeps people connected. In other words, it is much easier to stay in touch with people. Instead of going out to find someone to tell them something, a lot of people will just send out a text or email or go on to some social networking site.  It will be interesting to see the evolution of social skills throughout the next generations.

As for changing the way I use media, it would be nice to lay off all of it for a while, but I know that I have become way too reliant upon them to quit. I love having my emails waiting for me when I wake up and being able to sit at my computer and find the load of information with just one click.